XR11 TR750 and an XR05 TR500.v SPEEDBLOCKS.

Yamaha tapped into the American-inspired, yellow-and-black speedblock livery that the company has re-adopted to celebrate their 60th Anniversary. That was represented by a Kenny Roberts’ 1977 OW31 TZ750 (raced in F750) and an OW60 YZR 500 he raced to victory in the 1982 Argentine GP. Still in the blue Gauloises livery, though, was Christian Sarron’s YZR500, and in white and red was one of the Yamaha France Paris-Dakar XT500s from 1979. Headlining the stand was Yamaha’s Yard Build competition-winning V-Max ‘V-Speed’ by Liberty Yamaha - also in yellow and black.

Exemplary Explorers.

Triumph have updated their largest adventure bike, and like the Tiger 800 there are now two types: the cast-wheel tarmac-biased Explorer XR, and the spoke-wheel trail-ready Explorer XC. The basic version of each bike is pretty much as before. So that’s a luxurious and syrupy 1215cc ride-by-wire inline three, bolted into a substantial chassis with single-sided swimgarm and shaft drive. Suspension is now supplied by WP, however, and the front brakes are one-piece radial Brembos. There are two riding modes, road and rain, each with their own throttle maps and specific settings for the standard-fit traction control and ABS. The classy dash is also new, switchgear is refined, and the screen now moves at the touch of a button. Yes, it’s electric. That’s a class first, you know. As with the smaller Tigers there are flashier variants too. The Explorer XRx and XCx feature an additional off-road mode with its own settings. Better than that, they also have leanangle sensitive traction control and cornering ABS. That’s right - you can go full gas or grab the lever mid-corner, and a little black box squares the job up. The XRx and XCx also benefit from WP’s semi-active suspension, with preset ride options, continually-tweaked damping and rear preload that sets itself automatically. Heated grips, too. There’s more. Go for the touring-biased XRT or round-the-globe XCA, and the revised Explorer also gets a sportmode, a rider configurablemode, hill start control, heated seats and a taller screen. In terms of high-tech-spec, this puts the big Brit right up there with the KTM 1290 Super Adventure and a BMW R1200GSwithall the factory-fit options.

Holden’s secret project.

MEET the top-secret show-stopper that started life in Holden’s Port Melbourne design studios in the middle of 2015. The eye-catching Opel GT Concept, which is shaping up to be one of the stars of the Geneva motor show (March 3-13), was designed in Europe but is a product of Holden’s secret fabrication group, one of only two in the General Motors world that can create one-off show stars. The radical two-door coupe sits on a unique rear-drive platform that gives it the driver-focused nous to take on the COTY-winning Mazda MX-5 and 2012 winners the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ twins. Described as a “template for future sports cars”, the GT Concept from GM’s European brands is targeted to weigh less than 1000kg. It’s built on a bespoke reardrive platform and uses GM’s new all-aluminium 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, producing 107kW and 205Nm. It drives through a sixspeed sequential gearbox and accelerates to 100km/h in “under eight seconds” on the way to a maximum of 215km/h. The unusual styling is described by GM Europe design chief Mark Adams as “purebred, pared down, yet unashamedly avant-garde”. “It is dramatic, sculptural and full of innovations, which is our great tradition that we intend to continue,” Adams said. “In the mid-60s Vauxhall and Opel created their own interpretations of a lightweight sports car - the XVR and the Experimental GT - both of which were thoroughly modern with dynamic sculptural form.” While a rear-drive platform under the concept would be crucial to the production GT’s ability to battle rivals like the Toyota 86 and Mazda MX-5, GM Europe sources say it’s unlikely, and that the Barina/Corsa FWD architecture makes more business sense. The company hopes to gather more market intelligence after the GT is unveiled at the Geneva show. One insider said the GT Concept shows the company’s direction: “Like the new (European) Astra, this car continues with the theme of making a car that is no bigger than it needs to be. One that is pared-down, light and no more complex than necessary.” As for a Holden version of the production car? It’s possible, especially if the GT gets the green light for sale in the UK. But the little concept car that Australia built still has a number of gates to clear before those negotiations can take place.